Best RN Programs in West Virginia for 2024

Davis & Elkins College located in Elkins, West Virginia has one of the best nursing programs in the entire state. They offer an ADN program and unique to a community college, they also offer an online RN to BSN program. The online program can be completed in 12 months and students are kept with small cohorts so that they get to know their online peers. The NCLEX-RN pass rates of the recent years have been more than 80% and the board certification passing rate and job placement rates are approximately 100%.

Along with high-quality education, Davis and Elkins College offers a beautiful rural campus, a variety of recreational opportunities, friendly faculty and staff, and a small faculty-student ratio. The college also has a wonderful externship program that allows nursing students who have completed their first year to earn and learn the ropes of nursing during a 4-6 week-long summer program. In this program, the students work and learn under the supervision of an RN to get first-hand learning experience and increase their knowledge and skills in core nursing competencies like patient assessment, clinical judgment, decision making, critical thinking, and other skills. The externs get the chance to learn in various clinical settings around the community.

In addition to this, Davis and Elkins College also provide generous scholarships and financial aid to students via partnerships with various healthcare facilities.

Undergraduate Programs: The four years traditional BSN program at Davis and Elkins College is a competitive program that prepares students for a wide variety of nursing roles and careers. Graduates of the program work in hospitals, home care services, military, educational facilities, management, as well as research.

Similarly, the ASN program also prepares students to take their NCLEX-RN examination and work in hospitals, home care services, doctors’ offices, and other areas.

The college also offers an online RN to BSN program that is designed to help working RNs pursue their BSN degree via a flexible and online course. The program only includes two courses at a time over an 8-week period which allows students to earn their BSN degree within a year.

Finally, there is an in-person LPN to ASN program that includes on-campus classes with onsite clinical rotations, that allows students to get their ASN degree in a year and a half.

Salem University is one of the best in the state with an NCLEX-RN pass rate of almost a perfect 100%. The work-focused nursing degrees provide a foundation for further growth and learning. The study also enjoys the benefits of small class sizes and one-on-one mentorship and instruction from the faculty.

Salem University provides ample opportunities for nursing students to practice their skills and knowledge. The modern simulation equipment and simulated scenarios allow students to get hands-on experience in life-like situations they would encounter while working in healthcare. Additionally, the university also has clinical affiliations with almost a dozen healthcare facilities and organizations in the area so students get the opportunity to get much-needed clinical experiences in a high-quality, hands-on environment. The classroom education, lab hours, and clinical rotations at Salem University allow students to excel at nursing skills, procedures, techniques, problem-solving, reasoning, communication, and critical thinking.

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate of Science in Nursing is a 22-month program that prepares students to excel at their NCLEX-RN examination and work at a variety of healthcare facilities. The well-rounded and comprehensive curriculum allows students to learn to provide excellent patient care to all ages.

Similarly, for RNs who do not have their Bachelor’s degree, Salem University offers an online RN to BSN program that is designed by nurses for nurses. The course focuses on the needs, experiences, and other skills they will need as they advance their careers.

Graduate Programs: The fully online MSN program at Salem University helps students build upon their previous knowledge as a bachelor-level nurses. The MSN degree focuses on either Nursing Administration or Nursing Education and has evidence-based research findings as its foundation.

West Virginia Junior College teaches its students with a challenging curriculum focusing on compassion, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills as its foundation. By the time the students graduate, they possess the skills to be great leaders as well as competent care providers. 

The faculty comprises of dedicated, learned, and working healthcare professionals who are committed to the success and career goals of the students. In addition to that, the small class sizes and ample classroom instruction account for individualized attention and mentorship from the world-class faculty. The college is also well-equipped with state-of-the-art classrooms, high-fidelity skills laboratory, and other learning resources that allow students to practice their nursing skills and knowledge to perfection. West Virginia Junior college also allows its students to take part in clinical practice in multiple diverse healthcare facilities in the area to ensure that the students know how to work in a real hospital environment before assuming the roles of professional nurses. The school provides all its nursing students with a well-rounded, specialized nursing education to help them prepare for a challenging and rewarding career as a registered nurse.

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate Degree in Nursing program at West Virginia Junior College is one of the best in the state and has been preparing competent, qualified, and compassionate nurses for many years now. The education and instruction they receive at this institute have been very helpful for the graduates to pass their NCLEX-RN examination and lead a rewarding nursing career.

Blue Ridge Community and Technical College is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Blue Ridge Community and Technical College originated over 40 years ago and was originally called Shepherd Community College and was renamed Blue Ridge Community and Technical College in 2006.

At Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, the nursing courses are intended to provide the students with the awareness of the value and dignity of people. The faculty teach the students to view the patient as an integrated, unique individual who requires nursing knowledge and skill.

The high-quality classrooms, lab, and clinical rotations educate students for practicing to enhance the health status of the region. The simulation and clinical rotations allow them the use their classroom knowledge to develop critical thinking skills and use evidence-based research to demonstrate competent practice to deliver safe and effective patient care. The competitive and relevant curriculum allows students to provide care according to the legal, ethical, and professional standards while also considering the impact of economic, political, social, and demographic forces.

Undergraduate Programs: The ASN course prepares students to take excel at their NCLEX-RN examination and also provides a base for further education and career advancement. The course teaches entry-level professionals to provide compassionate nursing care to patients regardless of different values, beliefs, cultures, lifestyles.

Marshall University is located in Huntington, West Virginia.  They offer an ASN degree through a partnership with St. Mary's School of Nursing and Marshall University.  They also offer a BSN degree, which is the largest BSN program within a university setting in the region.  They also offer an online RN to BSN option.

At Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, the faculty and staff are dedicated to making the college a model of leadership, academic excellence, collaboration, and occupational training. The college equips all its nursing students with the tools and education that are necessary to compete and prosper in the modern healthcare environment.

The college aims to accomplish its goals of becoming a model educational institution by providing excellent education and instruction. The students are led by the examples of the faculty and staff who are as encouraging as they are skilled. Similarly, the classroom activities, lab work, simulations, and clinical practice are designed to encourage the students for creativity and innovation. In addition to the competitive and relevant degrees, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College also contribute to workforce development by workforce development, continuing education, and training programs that support the needs of employees and employers while also serving as a mechanism for economic development.

Undergraduate Programs: The Associate Degree in Nursing at Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College is committed to providing accessible, high-quality nursing education that meets the diverse and changing healthcare needs of all individuals of all ages in a variety of healthcare settings.

West Virginia Northern Community College is among the best nursing colleges in the state with a rich history of 40+ years of higher education. The college aims to produce nurses who are competent, knowledgeable, and can advocate for their patients.

To allow the students to develop into skilled professionals who can implement evidence-based research into their practice, West Virginia Northern Community College integrates precepted clinical experiences with classroom instruction. This clinical practicum takes place in multiple specialized healthcare facilities and provides for community experiences. The experiences ensure that the nurses make sound judgments in practice that are backed with evidence-based practices and that they provide quality care that promotes the health of patients within a family and community context. The students are trained to become healthcare leaders who can evaluate the utilization of healthcare system resources to effectively and efficiently manage care.

Undergraduate Programs: The AAS program at West Virginia Northern Community College allows students to sit for their NCLEX-RN examination upon completion. The students are recommended to complete the program via either a two-year full-time enrollment or a three-year part-time enrollment should an interruption in education occur.